Break the Sugar Habit

The average American is sugar-logged, consuming more than 140 pounds of added caloric sweeteners per year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture — that’s a 20 percent increase since 1970. There doesn’t appear to be a single, conspiratorial cause — some point to technology, which allows us to refine thousands of tons of barley, corn, fruits, rice, and sorghum into concentrated sugars available year-round; others speculate that the low-fat trend swung our nutritional pendulum in the direction of sugar. The results of our collective sweet tooth, though, are unmistakable: Sugar’s abundance is jeopardizing our health.

Bringing your body and mind back into a balanced relationship with sugar can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of illness, boost your energy, and even out your mood. And it doesn’t have to be a course in misery. Our three-week sugar-reduction plan is designed to help you break the sugar habit gradually and painlessly. You’ll still have plenty of sweet — fruit, whole grains, and milk all contain naturally occurring sugar. “Cutting back on the added sugar in your diet while eating whole, naturally sweet foods will give you the physiological balance you need for long-term health,” says Dr. Jana Klauer. Best of all, what initially might feel like deprivation may eventually become a bonanza. By stemming the deluge of added sugars that usually overwhelm your taste buds, you’ll awaken your palate, allowing naturally sweet flavors to come alive.

Are you a sugar addict? Take our quiz. Ready to start the process? Click on Week 1.

Our experts: Dr. Jana Klauer, author of “How the Rich Get Thin”; Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons, author of “Potatoes Not Prozac”; Kate Gilday, an herbalist who pracitces in upstate New York; Dr. Darna Dufour, a nutritional anthropologist at the University of Colorado.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Break the Sugar Habit